One of the most common devices in use today for maintaining foodstuffs in a refrigerated condition is that container know as a chest or cooler used by picnickers and the like. Such coolers are generally formed of insulating material such as expanded plastic foam molded in a one piece construction and having an access opening arranged to be closed by a lid of material similar to that of the cooler body. Foodstuffs such as beverages, sandwiches and the like are accommodated within the interior of the cooler and to maintain the foodstuffs in a refrigerated condition, ice is generally introduced together with the foodstuffs to provide temporary refrigerated storage of the foodstuffs until used.
One of the basic problems, however, encountered with the use of such coolers is the unavoidable melting of the ice however gradual so that even though only a portion of the ice may melt before use of the foodstuffs water collects in the cooler saturating at least some of the foodstuffs such as sandwiches, pastry, etc reducing if not destroying the palatability of the foodstuffs. Another problem is presented with the use of such coolers in that it is common to indiscriminately load ice into the cooler over and around the foodstuffs therein with the result that upon removal of some of the foodstuffs the ice immediately falls into the cavity which remains making it very difficult if not impossible for replacing an item such as a bottle of milk which is only partially used.